Stephen n



(No Model.)

SVN. SMITH.

LAGING HOOK.

No.- 251,307, Patented Dem. 20,1881.

WITNESSES INVEN'TEJR JU' w j .& -M %,M

- @WWQ WWM.

N. PETERS. Phowmm n her. wmin mn. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN N. SMITH, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

LAClNG-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,307, dated December 20, 1881. Application filed August 2, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN N. SMITH, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Lacing-Hooks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object the following-described improvement in lacing-hooks, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in explaining its nature, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective showing the construction. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective. Fig. 4 is a vertical section, representing the hook fastened to the material; and Fig. 5 is a crosssection and plan in the line as w of Fig. 3.

My invention relates to the class of lacinghooks known as eyelet lacing-hooks. It is made in two parts, and adapted to be united in fastening the hook to the material of the boot, shoe, or other article, as hereinafter described. The hook part A is shaped from a blank of a suitable form to have a button por tion or head, a, rounded in plan and section, or simply rounded in plan, and flat, or otherwise shaped, a neck, a, rounded upon its inner surface, and a seat, a somewhat cupshaped or hollow and having a hole, a". The hook portion is fastened to the material by the capeyelet B, which is struck up from a blank of suitable size. It is closed at its upper end, I), and has a projecting flange, b, at its lower end. The head I) is rounded upwardly, as shown, or flat, and is adapted, upon insertion through the hole a of the eyelet-seat, to be spread laterally to fill, or partially fill, the cup-shaped recess in the seat by a pointed, flat, or other shaped mandrel inserted between the head and the seat. This construction provides some advantages over the ordinary eyelet-hook made from one piece of metal, as I can obtain thereby the necessary properties which it is desirable that the hook and eyelet should have, and which the ordinary eyelet-hook cannot possess. For instance, the hook must be of a sufficient strength at its neck not to bend easily, and the eyelet should be snfficiently thin to clinch readily, and these properties cannot be given an eyelet-hook made from soft metal and in one piece in the ordinary Way, as in order to make the neck snfliciently stiti' more metal must be used, and this can only be obtained in an economical way by increasing the thickness of the blank, and this would result in making the eyelet thicker and the complete hook heavier than desirable. Moreover, with my improvement the hook portion may be made of refined iron, steel, or some metal less expensive and stronger than brass, and the eyelet may be made of brass or other metal, thereby cheapening while improving the construction. Moreover, by heading the eyelet upon the seat of the hook I. am enabled to get a much smoother and heater finish upon the inner side of the material than when the eyelet is in one piece with the book.

To use my invention a hole is punched in the material, the hook portion adjusted so that the hole in its seat comes in line with the hole in the material,and the eyelet inserted from the inner side of the material through the holes, and then, by bunting against a suitable mandrel, preferably having a flat projection which shall bear against the center of the cap I), the eyelet is headed upon the hook-seat.

I Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- An improved lacing-hook in two parts, consisting of a hook portion having an annular seat and a flanged eyelet adapted to be inserted through the material from the opposite side of the hook part and to be headed upon the seat, all substantially as and for the purposes described.

STEPHEN N. SMITH. Witnesses:

GILMAN E. J OPP, THos. A. MILLETT. 

